How to Use Estimate Templates and Estimate Requests in CrmLeaf
All editions. Core feature - no add-on required. Adding BOM items to a template depends on BOM data, which is produced by the Manufacture add-on module and the Solar and Construction editions.
Availability: All editions. Core feature - no add-on required. Adding BOM items to a template depends on BOM data, which is produced by the Manufacture add-on module and the Solar and Construction editions.
Overview
Estimate Templates let you save a reusable set of line items so repeat quotes do not have to be rebuilt each time. Estimate Requests work in the other direction: a client asks you for a quote, and the request is tracked until you convert it into an estimate. Together they reduce the manual work at the front of the quote-to-cash chain.
How It Works
An Administrator prepares templates once. Users then create estimates from a template instead of from a blank form. Incoming client requests are tracked as Estimate Requests with their own status changes.
Prepare template → Client requests a quote → Create estimate from template → Send → Accept
- An Estimate Template holds reusable line items and can include BOM items, so a standard configuration can be quoted in one step.
- An estimate created from a template becomes an ordinary estimate and follows the standard statuses
draft → waiting → accepted / declined / canceled. - Estimate Requests are an intake record with status changes, so you can see which requests are still open.
- Because the resulting estimate is a normal estimate, acceptance still auto-creates an
unpaidInvoice.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Create and maintain the Estimate Templates the team quotes from.
- Decide which standard configurations, including BOM items, are offered as templates.
- Review Estimate Requests coming in from clients.
User
- Create an estimate from an existing template.
- Adjust the line items, discount and taxes for the specific client before sending.
- Update the status of an Estimate Request as you work it.
Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator.
Prerequisites
- Products must exist in the catalogue so they can be added to a template.
- A BOM must exist if you want a template to include BOM items.
- Currencies and tax rates must be configured for your account.
For Administrators
Step 1: Create an estimate template
What to do: Open the estimate templates area and select Add. Give the template a name and add the line items that make up the standard quote. Add BOM items where the quote is for a standard build configuration. Select Save.
What to verify: The template appears in the template list and its line items are the ones you expect to reuse.
Step 2: Review incoming estimate requests
What to do: Open the Estimate Requests list and review the open requests. Update the status of each request as it is worked so the intake list reflects reality.
What to verify: Each request carries a status that matches its progress.
For Users
Step 1: Start an estimate from a template
What to do: Select Add and choose to build the estimate from an Estimate Template. The template's line items are loaded into the new estimate.
What to verify: The line items from the template are present in the draft estimate.
Step 2: Adapt the estimate to the client
What to do: Select the client and the currency, set the date until which the quote is valid, then adjust quantities, add or remove line items, and apply the discount and tax rates for this client.
What to verify: The totals are correct for this client, not the generic template figures.
Step 3: Send and track
What to do: Select Save, then send the estimate. The status moves to waiting. If the estimate answers an Estimate Request, update the request status so the intake list stays accurate.
What to verify: The estimate status is waiting and the related request no longer shows as untouched.
Field and Option Reference
| Field / Option | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Template line items | The reusable products or services loaded into every estimate built from this template. | Yes |
| BOM items | Bill of materials items included in the template so a standard configuration can be quoted in one step. | No |
| Estimate request status | The intake status of a client's request for a quote. | Yes |
Expected Result
The template is saved and available when creating an estimate. An estimate created from it opens pre-filled with the template's line items and behaves as a normal estimate from that point on.
Why This Matters for Service Organisations
Most service organisations sell a limited number of recognisable engagement shapes: an implementation, an audit, a campaign, a retainer. Quoting each one from a blank form invites inconsistent pricing between consultants and slow turnaround on a client who is comparing suppliers. An Estimate Template holds the standard scope and its standard rate lines once, so what varies between clients is quantity and discount rather than the whole structure of the quote.
How It Supports Professional Services
- A template stores reusable line items, which lets a firm keep one agreed way of expressing a service and the rate charged for it.
- An estimate built from a template is an ordinary estimate, so acceptance still creates the
unpaidinvoice — standardising the quote does not cost the automatic billing handover. - Estimate Requests give an intake record for client-initiated pricing requests, which is useful where a framework client asks for a quote per work package.
- The delivery side has an equivalent: the CrmLeaf project templates shipped for IT Services, Marketing Agency, Creative Agency and Legal Services carry Est. Hours, Rate/hr, Est. Cost, Owner Role and a Billable flag on each task.
- Those two libraries are not linked by the product. Many service organisations keep them aligned by hand, so the hours and rates planned in the project template add up to the price held in the matching estimate template.
Typical Service Workflow
Standard service → Estimate template → Client estimate → Acceptance → Project from template
This is the reuse layer in front of the agree step. Loading a template into an estimate and creating a project from a project template are both actions a user takes; the product does not derive one library from the other.
Other Product-Type Use Cases
Templates serve any repeat offer. A Manufacturing or Solar account templates a standard configuration, including BOM items, so a recognised build is quoted in one selection.
Related PSA Capabilities
- How to Create and Use Project Templates — the delivery-side library that carries estimated hours, rates and the billable flag.
- How to Import a Project Template from Excel — how a WBS workbook of standard engagements becomes a reusable template.
- How to Create and Send Estimates — the document a template pre-fills.
- How to Create and Send Invoices — where the accepted price is collected.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Editing a template does not change estimates that were already created from it.
- BOM items are only available where BOM data exists for your account. Confirm with your Administrator that the relevant module is enabled and included in your plan.
Common Scenarios
Example: a standard package quote. You sell three standard packages. Each is saved as an Estimate Template, so a quote takes one selection plus the client's specific quantities instead of rebuilding every line.
Example: a client-initiated quote. A client submits a request for pricing. The request appears as an Estimate Request. You create the estimate from the matching template, send it, and update the request status.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| No templates appear when creating an estimate | No Estimate Template has been created yet | Ask your Administrator to create the template first. |
| BOM items cannot be added to a template | No BOM exists, or the module that produces BOM data is not enabled for the account | Create the BOM first, or ask your Administrator to confirm the module is enabled and included in your plan. |
| An estimate request has no matching estimate | The request was never converted into an estimate | Create the estimate for that client and update the request status. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the line items after loading a template?
Yes. The template only pre-fills the estimate. You can add, remove and change line items before sending.
Does an estimate created from a template still create an invoice?
Yes. It is a normal estimate, so acceptance on the public link auto-creates an unpaid Invoice.
Can clients submit a request for a quote themselves?
Yes. Estimate Requests let clients request a quote, and the request is tracked with its own status changes.
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